About

Jeannine Vrins (1971) is born in the Netherlands, but lives since her eighteen in Belgium. She is married to Raf Peeters, designer of toys and games. 

They live and work in Lier, near Antwerp, with their two sons.

During her studies Product Design she discovered clay and ceramics during lessons of Piet Stockmans and an internship in 'The Porceleyne Fles Delft'.  

The fact that, as a maker you can keep the whole making process in your own hands, fascinates her and influenced her choice to start her own ceramic studio.

Short Curriculum

• Product Design, SHIVKV now LUCA, Genk, Belgium (1989-1994)

• Internship at 'The Porceleyne Fles Delft (1993)

• Ceramics, Master Degree, Art Academy Antwerp, Belgium (1994 - 1998).

• Work period in EKWC (1997-1998) ceramic workcentre, Netherlands.

• Since 1999: ceramics- teacher in the Art Academies of Heist op den Berg and Lier, Belgium

• 2021 Sabbatical: study at KU Leuven Material-science engineering and guest teaching at PXL.

• Since 2022: lecturer at University Hasselt: School of Arts PXL-MAD and researcher on the topic of glaze durability and sustainability.

More about

Click here for a text about Jeannine's work and her way of working.

Click here for a list of expositions, publications and commissions.

Artist Statement

Balancing

I feel an 'in-between'... part a designer, part an artist. Part a Belgian citizen, part still Dutch. Part a mother, part a teacher. I am balancing around with a lot of parts.

But at the same time I have made choices that map out the way where I want to go. In art and design you have to deal with choices all the time. My focus is pointed at ceramics and its processes. I wonder about everything whats going on in ceramics and it is feeding my curiosity.

I try to balance through life with humor and resilience. I want to visualise my story by playing with useful shapes which are non-functional at the same time. The colours and textures grow out of wondering and trial-and-error. The path I follow is learning by failure.

Researching materials and techniques are becoming more and more important in my artistic processes. I am looking for control over the manufacturing process, but also I realise it is impossible because ceramics cannot be fully controlled. It provides an interesting balancing between keeping control and letting it go. It makes me stumbling and playful at the same time. It makes me slowdown and gives me inspiration.

Balancing is my ongoing project.

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